.300 WM vs .338 WM...

Not to hijack.....
But now I'm really confused!
Currently I own 2 .308s and was thinking to upgrading to .338WM for bigger game. I love the .308 but would like more wallop for moose elk...etc, not that the .308 wont do the trick. But here I'm hearing the .338WM is ballistically identical to the .300WM, the last thread I read said the .300WM was akin to the 30-06 and basically no different, and we all know that .308 can do anything that a 30-06 can. So that leaves very little wiggle room between the .308 and .338WM, my head hurts.


AHHH, To hell with it, I'm goin with the .338wm anyway,or the .325WSM
 
the way i look at it is this: for "normal' hunting, i have several 308's- that includes elk and moose- i keep my shots to 200-250 yards and under, and use 165-180 grain bullets- if it's a "hunt of a lifetime" or something where danger is involved, there's my 338 bar- remember, it's a BIG scale-up in terms of cost, ammo, powder consumption, and bullets- roughly about DOUBLE what a 308 round costs- but it's no 308 on the shoulder either
 
ROY-alty33 said:
Not to hijack.....
But now I'm really confused!
Currently I own 2 .308s and was thinking to upgrading to .338WM for bigger game. I love the .308 but would like more wallop for moose elk...etc, not that the .308 wont do the trick. But here I'm hearing the .338WM is ballistically identical to the .300WM, the last thread I read said the .300WM was akin to the 30-06 and basically no different, and we all know that .308 can do anything that a 30-06 can. So that leaves very little wiggle room between the .308 and .338WM, my head hurts.


AHHH, To hell with it, I'm goin with the .338wm anyway,or the .325WSM
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Id' say that using "regular" bullets the 338 certianly has an edge over the 300WM, but using premiums, the gap gets closed pretty type. My experience only, others mileage may vary...
 
On the recoil Vs the 45-70, it's not really harder than a heavy loaded 45-70, but it's different, sharper to my way of thinking.
The 338WM is my favorite of the three you mentioned, it works very well, and shoots as far as I would even attempt. Recoil can be a consideration though, and a good stock design, coupled with a nice pad will help a lot. Some rifles hit you a lot harder than others.

If it were my choice, I'd likely keep the keepsake untouched, and get a 338 for myself.

As a hunting round, yes, the 338WM has more thump IMO. Do you really need it? Will the game know the difference? Those are questions you'll have to answer yourself.
 
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There is nothing the 300Win can't quickly and cleanly dispatch on this continent.

The 300 Win is more versatile, is easier to hit with, and is way more accurate than the 338Win....Even with factory ammunition. The 300Win is confidence inspiring at the target range I have seen just the opposite with the 338win...Many times.

Back in the days before super premium bullets I refused to carry a 300mag (yes I'm old). After finishing a buddies moose on consecutive years (with a 338) I proclaimed the 300 (any 300 mag) crap....Then he started loading 200gr Nosler Partitions.

After ten years of success I had to admit that the 300Win was indeed a killer. I bought one and a few years later sold my 338 Win.....It works that well.

The 338 might be a better choice for point blank grizzly, but its no charge stopper. The 375 is a far better selection for that sort of stuff.
 
X-fan said:
There is nothing the 300Win can't quickly and cleanly dispatch on this continent.

The 300 Win is more versatile, is easier to hit with, and is way more accurate than the 338Win....Even with factory ammunition. The 300Win is confidence inspiring at the target range I have seen just the opposite with the 338win...Many times.

Back in the days before super premium bullets I refused to carry a 300mag (yes I'm old). After finishing a buddies moose on consecutive years (with a 338) I proclaimed the 300 (any 300 mag) crap....Then he started loading 200gr Nosler Partitions.

After ten years of success I had to admit that the 300Win was indeed a killer. I bought one and a few years later sold my 338 Win.....It works that well.

The 338 might be a better choice for point blank grizzly, but its no charge stopper. The 375 is a far better selection for that sort of stuff.
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The 338, with the heavier bullets is plenty accurate. Mine was capable of 4" groups at 400 yards. Recoil and flinch are the main reasons it gets a bad rap IMO.
It doesn't require premiums to do it's work, it has the weight, the sectional density, and the diameter to get the job done.
If the 338 is no charge stopper, than the 300 is FAR from a charge stopper!
Truth the 338WM is widely respected, if you can handle it. My first moose with a 338WM fell so fast that I lost track of it during the recoil.
If you had to finish your buddies moose, I suggest you get him some range time. He'd have done just as poorly with a 375HH.
 
John Y Cannuck said:
The 338, with the heavier bullets is plenty accurate. Mine was capable of 4" groups at 400 yards. Recoil and flinch are the main reasons it gets a bad rap IMO.
It doesn't require premiums to do it's work, it has the weight, the sectional density, and the diameter to get the job done.
If the 338 is no charge stopper, than the 300 is FAR from a charge stopper!
Truth the 338WM is widely respected, if you can handle it. My first moose with a 338WM fell so fast that I lost track of it during the recoil.
If you had to finish your buddies moose, I suggest you get him some range time. He'd have done just as poorly with a 375HH.
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Well......Some of what you say is true.

For most shots standard 250 grain bullets allow reasonable penetration. While it certainly is a well respected cartridge most of what made the 338 win so popular is the bullet performance the 210 and 250 grain Nosler Partitions afforded it.....Back in the day they were the only premium bullets available....Trust me it wasn't the 250 Hornady that made the legend.

While the 338 Winchester can be reasonably accurate it's strong suite is not long range accuracy. Using 250 grain bullets the most accurate powders are H-4831, RL-19, and IMR-4350. Optimum accuracy occurs at 2550-2600fps not 2750 or 2800fps....Zerod at 200 yards the 250 grain bullet drops about 30 inches at 400 yards......Hardly the answer to the long range question.

You might point out the 210 Partition and lighter X-Bullets as the answer to the 338 long range problem. While it might be the 338 owner's answer the 300Win 180 grain has higher sectional density and the confidence inspiring accuracy the 338 Win can only dream of!

Load 74-76 grains of RL-22 (work up carefully) over a 180 Nosler Partition and I guarantee near bug hole accuracy at 3050-3100fps. For a great moose load I suggest the 200Gr Partition or Accubond. Seated over a max load of Rl-22 or H-4831 the bullet will be moving 2900-2950fps.

Fwiw there was nothing wrong with my buddies shooting......The bullets were coming apart.

I've owned (and do own) both 338's and 300's. I find the 300Win to be a better all round tool.....Perhaps the best of the best is a fast 338, but that is a subject for anothr day
 
I no longer use a 338, but I gained a lot of respect for it when I did. My favorites were the Sierra Game King in 250, and the Nosler partition also in 250. I never had a single bullet failure from either.
I used the Nosler Balistic tip in 200? for a try at lighter game, but I found it to be far too much of a meat waster, when it zipped along at close to 3000 fps. It did drop black bear with authority however.
I don't have access to my load data right now, however, 30" at 400 sounds a bit much. We used to sight in at 400. I think I had mine set up for 3" high at 100.
 
X-fan said:
Well......Some of what you say is true.

For most shots standard 250 grain bullets allow reasonable penetration. While it certainly is a well respected cartridge most of what made the 338 win so popular is the bullet performance the 210 and 250 grain Nosler Partitions afforded it.....Back in the day they were the only premium bullets available....Trust me it wasn't the 250 Hornady that made the legend.

While the 338 Winchester can be reasonably accurate it's strong suite is not long range accuracy. Using 250 grain bullets the most accurate powders are H-4831, RL-19, and IMR-4350. Optimum accuracy occurs at 2550-2600fps not 2750 or 2800fps....Zerod at 200 yards the 250 grain bullet drops about 30 inches at 400 yards......Hardly the answer to the long range question.

You might point out the 210 Partition and lighter X-Bullets as the answer to the 338 long range problem. While it might be the 338 owner's answer the 300Win 180 grain has higher sectional density and the confidence inspiring accuracy the 338 Win can only dream of!

Load 74-76 grains of RL-22 (work up carefully) over a 180 Nosler Partition and I guarantee near bug hole accuracy at 3050-3100fps. For a great moose load I suggest the 200Gr Partition or Accubond. Seated over a max load of Rl-22 or H-4831 the bullet will be moving 2900-2950fps.

Fwiw there was nothing wrong with my buddies shooting......The bullets were coming apart.

I've owned (and do own) both 338's and 300's. I find the 300Win to be a better all round tool.....Perhaps the best of the best is a fast 338, but that is a subject for anothr day
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I have no idea where you come up with 338s shoot best between 25-2600 fps. My current one and every other one I've owned shot best between 27-2800. Not wanting to start anything just want to tell it like it is. I currently own two 300s and have owned and loaded for several includeing a few 300 WBYs. they're good guns for sure but think of them as 30-06 performance at longer range.
 
MTM,
I don't want to insult anyone but I wasn't referring to a nice 100 yard group. I was referring to long range grouping....
It's one thing to shoot a sub minute group at 100 yards. It's quite another to hold that accuracy level at 300 yards or so.....If you know what I mean.

I'm talking about sub moa groups at 300 yards or more.....A task I found difficult (if not impossible) with most custom and factory rifles. I met these goals with the loads mentioned.....I found higher velocity made for inconsistent accuracy.....

I'd be interested in your load data if they met those criteria.

I'm not trying to make the 300 Winchester look like the hammer of Thor......In my opinion it is very flexible and shooter friendly.....At least more so than the 338Win (my opinion).

I like the 30-06, but I've always prefered 200gr 30 cal bullets.....Something the 30-06 doesn't do so well.
 
But then the New high velocity Hornady 30-06 loads come close to making the 300 redundant at least in some loadings.

I think this all comes down to your opinion X-fan.

I found my Browning Stainless Stalker (pre-muzzle break days) to shoot best at near max loads. Sighted in with the object of a possible 400 yards shot.

The rifle was a brutal kicker, and I blame the rifle, not the cartridge for that. Other 338WMs I have shot have been pussycats by comparison. I had no accuracy problems with them either.
 
X-fan where did 100 yd. groups come into this. I made my longest shot ever with my 338 shooting 250 Noslers. 300s may be easier to shoot do to lighter recoil but if you can't hit it with a 338 you shouldn't be shooting at it. I do agree with you on the 200 gr. bullet weight. When I used the 300s I always liked the 200 Nosler. Just for the record our range has 300 yds flat and I use it with all my hunting guns. Please don't assume you're the only one who shoots past 100 yds.
 
MTM,

Most hunters don't check rifle groups beyond 100 yards and have no comprehension as to how difficult it can be to obtain good long range accuracy with a big thumper such as the 338win......No offense intended to you or any of you that shoot way out there.

Someone earlier in this post mentioned 4 inch groups at 400 yards.This is not an easy thing to do with the 338win (the original poster should never sell that rifle!) I mention this because a group of four of us tried to attain this goal and most of us failed to do so. Groups were more like 8 inches at 500 yards! I should mention that all of us had match quality barrels.

I often hear hunters extrapolating range results IE. 1 inch groups at 100 yards = 5 inchs at 500 yards...Nothing could be further from the truth.

My personal 300 Winchester shoots 200 grain Accubonds (71.2grs RL-22) into sub 1.5" groups at 351 yards (the distance to the tree I nail my test targets on). Not that this level of accuracy is required, but it inspires plenty of confidence....Something the 338win never did (for me).
 
Don't get me wrong, I'm not proclaiming the 338 as a bench gun. I just wanted to say that it is certainly not it's accuracy potential that hold it back from long range hits. My hunting load has shot many sub 1/2" groups at 100 but is only a slightly under 1" for an average. It will do less than 3" at 300. I'm quite comfortable shooting as far as I need with this level of accuracy. My 338/378 shot its favorite hunting load into 2" at 300. That was a 210 TSX at 3450 fps. Should never have sold that one. Overall I would agree that the 300 has a very slight edge in both inherant accuracy and shootablity, though not enough to matter when hunting.
 
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Either are fine, but where each really excels: .300 for long range. .338 up close and personal(more personal than one would wish).

I wouldn't go .338 unless I knew I was specifically going after the large bears.
 
X-fan said:
MTM,

Most hunters don't check rifle groups beyond 100 yards and have no comprehension as to how difficult it can be to obtain good long range accuracy with a big thumper such as the 338win......No offense intended to you or any of you that shoot way out there.

Someone earlier in this post mentioned 4 inch groups at 400 yards.This is not an easy thing to do with the 338win (the original poster should never sell that rifle!) I mention this because a group of four of us tried to attain this goal and most of us failed to do so. Groups were more like 8 inches at 500 yards! I should mention that all of us had match quality barrels.

I often hear hunters extrapolating range results IE. 1 inch groups at 100 yards = 5 inchs at 500 yards...Nothing could be further from the truth.

My personal 300 Winchester shoots 200 grain Accubonds (71.2grs RL-22) into sub 1.5" groups at 351 yards (the distance to the tree I nail my test targets on). Not that this level of accuracy is required, but it inspires plenty of confidence....Something the 338win never did (for me).
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That was me shooting 4" at 400. I have two witnesses, both cops. You poke fun at my 4" groups then ask us to believe you can do better than half that size?
We practiced regularly at 400 because the likelihood of such a shot where we hunted at the time was very good. No tree would ever withstand the amount of shooting we did in that old pit.
Yes, I sold the rifle. It's out there somewhere. Last time I saw it it was at Long Guns in Bewdley Ontario.
 
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Stay with the 300...More bullets to choose from, way better B.C and S.D with a heavier bullets than the 338 up to 250grs..Less recoil.I own and have hunted with 338 Win 300 Roy and the 300 Win..Would take the 300 Win mag over the other without pause..
 
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